Knitting-machine spot-dyeing apparatus



June 24, 1930. R. G. JENNINGS 1,767,762 KNITTING MACHINE SPOT DYEINGAPPARATUS Filed July 17, 1928 3 sheets sheet 1 June 24, 1930. R. a.JENNINC$ KNITTING MACHINE SPOT DYEIEG APPARATUS I Filed July 17, 1928 3Sheets-Sheet 2 a a M 6 a W a ,2 w v 2i C V 7 w ,3 M PM 2 June 24, 1936;R. 6. JENNINGS EESRFfiZ KNITTING MACHINE SPOT DYEING APPARATUS FiledJuly 17, 1928 sneets shaet 3 z'rlli/a ll Patented June 24, 193

TATS

ROBERT G. JENEINGS, OF ELMIBA, NEW? YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE R. G. JENNINGSYARN CLEANING IiIACI-LINE 00. ENG, F ELIJIIEA, NEW YORK, A CORPORATIONOF N EW YORK KNITTING-MACHINE SPOT-DYEING APPARATUS Application filedJuly 17, 1928.

My invention relates to a spot-dyeing appliance for use with knittingmachines and is here illustrated in connection with a body machine ofthe circular type, though its use is not confined to that particulartype of machine.

It is an object of my invention to provide a spot-dyeing meanswhichshall operate in such a manner as not to injure the needles, as hasheretofore been done by applying a dye to the yarn before it passes downto the needles. This causes rusting of the needles and if the yarn isfine it results in tender yarns and holes in the fabric. By applying thedye to the fabric after knitting the dampness makes no difference.Alcohol is commonly used as a solvent for the dye in spot-dyeing of theunknitted yarn, because of its penetrating and its quick-dryingproperties, but water can be used as a solvent with the device of myinvention, 111 place of a portion of the alcohol, or may replace italtogether in use if the cloth is exposed to drying conditions for sometime after spot-dyeing, as is usually the case.

Another object of my invention is to save in the use of dye andparticularly in the use vof alcohol which ordinarily forms an ingredientthereof, this economy being due to the fact that the dye is applied tothe outside of the cloth so that the full effect of the dye is apparent,whereas when dye is applied to the yarn that part of the yarn showing atthe inside of the cloth is dyed but without any benefit as there is noreason why the spots should appear at the inside of the garment. On theother hand it is advantageous to have the inner side of the cloth whiteas the dye sometimes comes off on the skin of the wearer, as manypersons prefer garments undyed on the inner side.

Another object of the invention is to apply the dye in such a mannerthat it will not be thrown off, as occurs when the dye is applied to theyarn which is whirling around with great speed and consequently with adevelopment of high centrifugal force. By applying the dye to the slowlymoving cloth this action is avoided.

Serial No. 293,474.

Still another object is to save the cost of re-winding, as heretoforepractice in spotdyeing yarn, and also the cost of fioor space forwinders, upkeep of winders, etc.

Referring to the drawings, which are made a part of this application,and in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts Fig. 1is an elevation of my machine viewed from the front;

Fig. 2 is a detail vertical section on a larger scale, the section beingtaken on line 2-2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a plan of parts shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the machine on line l i of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail plan of a spot-dyeing appllance;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation corresponding to Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an elevation of parts shown in 5, viewed from the left; and

*ig. 8 is a sectional view on line 8-8 of In the drawings, referencecharacter 10 indicates the head of a rib knitting machine of the typeknown as a body machine, said machine having a series of cylinderneedles 11 and a series of dial needles 12. The machine generally is ofknown type, having a take-up 13 for the fabric which passes around apair of stretching rings 14:, 14 on its way to the take-up. A shaft 15drives the cam-ring 14: in conventional manner, the shaft carrying afast pulley 16 and a loose pulley 17 driven by a belt controlled by abelt-shifter 18 with a handle 19, whereby it may be moved manually. Abelt 20 drives the take-up by means of pulleys 21 and 22.

An annulus 23 is held in place about the stretching rings 14-, 14 bymeans of legs 24: mounted on base-plate 25 and a cylindrical guide 26extends upward from annulus 23. The guide 26 and a roller bearing 27 onannulus 28 provide means for supporting and guiding a rotary support 28for the spotdyeing devices with which my invention is particularlyconcerned. The support 28 retates with the cam-ring and dial cam cap,

though not necessarily at the same speed or in the same direction, but Ido not limit myself to such a construction as relative movement only isnecessary and the principle may be embodied even in a straight machine.

The support 28'is driven by a belt 29 passing over a pulley 30 on ashaft 31 driven by a pinion 32 meshing with the usual crowngear (notshown) secured to the cam-ring and driven by gearing connecting it toshaft 15. The belt passes from pulley 30 to a guide pulley 32, thenabout support 28, then about another guide pulley (not shown) and thenback to pulley 30.

On the support there are a suitable num 'ber of color-applying devices,here shown as constructed for the application of dye in liquid form tothe fabric, and each consisting of a bracket 33 pivoted at 34 on theupwardly-extending flange of support 28. Springs '34 tend to move thebrackets on their pivots so as to hold the rotary members or frictiongears 35 in contact with the fabric and also to hold nozzles 36 close toor in contact with the fabric. To facilitate the rotation of thefriction gears 35 the circumference thereof is knurled or roughened asshown clearly in Fig. 6. The nozzlesare attached, preferably byscrew-threads, to blocks 37 (Figs. 5 to 7) having a longitudinal passageleading to the port of the nozzle, from a short tube 38 also connectedto the block preferably by screw-threads. A pipe 39 connects the shorttube 38 to a supply tank 40 which may supply dye to several or all thenozzles. As here shown two tanks supply the various nozzles.

A valve 41' (Fig. 7) is held in place in block 37 by a screw 42, thisvalve having a passage adapted to register with the passage of block 37.An arm 43 1s secured to the top of the valve by a screw 44 or in anyother convenient manner. on the valve is moved by a spring 46 1n aAnother arm 45 direction for normally closing the'valve, the movement ofarm 45 being limited by a pin 46.

The gear 35 has two pins 48 pro ecting upward into the plane of movementof arm 43 (Fig. 6) and it will be evident that the pins will strike thearm 43 as the gear is rotated in the operation of the machine, tothereby open the valve 41 and permit the dye to be ejected against thecloth by reason of the pressure of the fluid in tank 40. This pressuremay be augmented in various ways, if desired, as by forcing air underpressure into the tank. Preferably threaded holes are formed. in thegear, whereby the number and location of the pins 48 may be variedaccording to the pattern desired.

It will be apparent also that the design or pattern desired to beproduced on the finiished fabric may be varied also by locating the spotdyeing appliance at different distances apart on the supporting rings.

It is desirable that the application of color should cease on stoppageof the machine andfor this end I have provided means to remove thenozzles 36 from-tl1e fabric when a Sleeves 51 are mounted on posts onsup-' port 28 so as to contact with the inner face of ring 49, thusproviding anti-friction guiding means for the ring, and overhangingflanges 52 (Fig. 2) are provided on said sleeves for holding down thering 49. Bent fingers 53 on the ring engage over radial pins 54 mountedon valves 55 pivoted on blocks 37, each valve having a passage normallyregistering with the passage in a block 37. The valves are held in placebyscrews 56 (Figs. 3 and A brake 57 (Figs. 1 and 4) is slidablysupported on a bracket 58 and is forced toward ring 49 by a spring 59. Alever 60 is connected at its lower end to brake 57 and its upper end islocated in the path of a rod 61 connected to the shipper 1.9 formovement therewith in a direction to remove the brake from the ring 49when the belt is shifted from the loose to the fast pulley in startingthe machine.

Operation: In the operation of my device it will be seen that the gears35 rotate as the machine is driven, the circumference of the frictiongears being in contact with the rotating fabric, as shown, with theresult that whenever a pin 48 strikes a finger 43 the correspondingvalve 41 will be opened and, as this opens the passage from-the tank 40to the nozzle 36 it follows that coloring matter will be ejected fromthe nozzles due to the hydrostatic pressure in the tank or to otherpressure, as above explained.

The valve is open only during the time it takes for the pin 48 to passand release the finger 43 when the spring 46 closes the valve again andthe dye will therefore be applied in a machine of the characterillustratedseveral times by each device during a rotation of themachine, the sequence being adapted to be varied as above described orin other Ways.

lVhen the machine is stopped, as by a stop- 1,7e7,7ea 3 As a resultofthis the bent fingers 53 will stop and by their engagement will causemovement of pins 54:, thereby rotating valves 55 into closed positionand cutting off the flow of the dye. At the same time the flat faces at62 on the valves 55 will engage with the outer Wall of the upper flangeof support 28 and will move the bracket 83, on which the gear 35 issupported, about its pivot 34 against the tension of spring 34 to carrythe nozzle 36 away from the fabric.

In this way the flow of dye is cut off and application of such dye asremains in the nozzle and the passage in the block is also prevented.When the belt is shifted back to the fast pulley the brake will beremoved and the spring or springs 50 will carry the ring 28 back to itsnormal position thereby re-opening the valves 55.

It Will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications may be made in my device without departing from the spiritof the invention, and therefore I do not limit myself to what is shownin the drawings and described in the specification, but only asindicated in the appended claims.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is

1. In a knitting machine, stopping means, a support having movementrelatively to the cloth in a direction transverse to the wales thereof,a color-applying device mounted on said support, means for causing saiddevice to apply coloring matter to the cloth being knitted after passingthe knitting point during the operation of said knitting machine, andmeans actuated by the stopping means for removing said device from thefabric when the machine stops.

2. In a knitting machine, stopping means, a support having movementrelatively to the cloth in a direction transverse to the wales thereof,means mounted on said support for applying a liquid to said cloth, meansfor operating said liquid applying means while the knitting machine isrunning, and means actuated by the stopping means for preventing furtherapplication of color by said color applying means when the machinestops.

3. In a knitting machine, stopping means, a support having movementrelatively to the cloth in a direction transverse to the wales thereof,means mounted on said support for applying a liquid to said cloth, meansfor operating said liquid applying means at intervals during theknitting of ,a course of stitches, and means actuated by the stoppingmeans for preventing further application of color by said color applyingmeans when the machine stops.

4. In a circular knitting machine, means for knitting a fabric, asupport on said machine spaced from the knitting means and rotatablerelatively to the fabric, stopping ing movement relatively to the clothin a direction transverse to the wales thereof, a

nozzle having an opening adjacent the fabric, means for supplying liquidcoloring matter to said nozzle, and means for intermittently shuttingoff the supply of coloring matter.

' 6. In a circular knitting machine, means for knitting a fabric, asupport on said machine spaced from the knitting means and rotatablerelatively to the fabric, a series of color-applying devices arranged inspaced relation on said support, each of said devices including a nozzleadjacent the fabric, and means for ejecting coloring material throughsaid nozzles at intervals during the knitting of a course.

7. In a circular knitting machine, means for knitting a fabric, asupport on said machine spaced from the knitting means and rotatablerelatively to the fabric, a series of color-applying devices arranged inspaced relation on said support, each of said devices including a nozzleadjacent the fabric, means for ejecting coloring material through saidnozzles at intervals during the knitting of a course, and means forpreventing further flow from said nozzles afterstoppage of the machine.

8. In a circular knitting machine, means relation on said support, eachof'said devices" including a nozzle adjacent the fabric, means forejecting coloring material through said nozzles at intervals during theknitting of a course, and means for moving the nozzles away from thefabric on stoppage of the machine.

9. In a circular knitting machine, means for knitting a fabric, asupport on said machine spaced from the knitting means and rotatablerelatively to the fabric, a series of color-applying devices arranged inspaced relation on said support, each of said devices including a nozzleadjacent the fabric, means for ejecting coloring material through saidnozzles at intervals during the knitting of a course, means for movingthe nozzles away from the fabric on stoppage of the machine, and meansfor automatically returning the nozzles to position on re-starting themachine.

10. In a. circular knitting machine, means for knitting a fabric, asupport on said machine spaced from the knitting means androtatablerelatively to. the fabric, a series ofcolor-applying devices arranged inspaced relation on said support, each of said de vices including, anozzle adjacent the fabric, a passage leading to the nozzle,v means forsupplying liquid coloring. matter under pressure to said nozzle throughsaid passage, arvalve in-the passage, and meansfor intermittentlyopening said valve.

11. In a circular knitting machine, means for knitting a fabric, asupport on said machine spaced from, the knitting means and 12. In acircular knitting machine, means.

for knitting a fabric, a support on said'machine spaced from theknitting means and rotatable relatively to the fabric, a series ofcolor-applying devices arranged in spaced relationon said support, eachof said devices including a nozzle adjacent the fabric, a passageleading to the nozzle, means for supplying liquid coloringmatter,underpressure to said nozzle through said p a ssage,a valve in the passage,means for intermittently opening said valve, a second valve in eachpassage, said last-named valve being normallyopen, means for closingeach of said last-named valves on stoppage, and means for automaticallyre-opening said valves on re-starting the machine.

13. In a circular knitting machine,,means' for knitting a fabric, asupport, on said machine spaced from the knitting means and rotatablerelatively to the fabric, a series of color-applying devices arranged inspaced relation on said support, each of said devices including a nozzleadjacent the fabric, a passage leading to the nozzle, means forsupplying liquid coloring matter under pressure to said nozzle throughsaid passage, a valve in the passage, a gear operated by the rotation ofthe machine, and means operated by said gear for opening the valveintermittently.

14. I a circular knitting machine, means for knitting a fabric, asupport on sald machine spaced from the kn tting means and rotatablerelatively to the fabric, a series of color-applying devices arranged inspaced relation on said support, each of said devices including a nozzleadjacent the fabric, a passage leading to the nozzle, means forsupplying liquid coloring matter under pressure to said nozzle throughsaid passage, a valve in the passage, a gear operated by the rotation ofthe machine, a finger on the valve, a pin on the gear adapted to engagesaid finger to open the valve, and meansto close the valve on release ofsaid finger by said pin.

15. In a circular knitting machine, means for knitting a fabric, asupport on said machine spaced from the knitting means and rotatablerelatively to the fabric, a series of color-applying devices arranged inspaced relation on said support, each of said devices including a nozzleadjacent the fabric, means for ejecting coloring material through saidnozzles at intervals during the knitting of a course, means forpreventing further flow from said nozzles after stoppage of the machineincluding an element extending circumferentially of the machine, meansnormally holding it in one position, means to change its position onstoppage of themachine, and connections from said element to render saidcolor-applying devices inoperative on such change of position.

16. In a circular knitting machine, means for knitting a fabric, asupport on said machine spaced from the knitting means and rotatablerelatively. to the fabric, a series of color-applying devices arrangedinspaced relation on said support, each of said dc vices including anozzle adjacent the fabric, means for ejecting coloring materialithroughsaid nozzles at intervals during the knitting of a course, an element.extending circumferentially of the machine,.connections from saidelement to: said color-applyingdevices, and means to operate saidelement onstoppage of the machine for moving'the nozzles away from thefabric.

17 In a circular knitting machine, means for knitting a fabric, asupport on said ma-. chine spaced from the knitting'means and rotatablerelatively to the fabric, a series. of color-applying devices arrangedin spaced relation on said support, each of said'devicesincluding'anozzle ad acent the fabric,

for ejecting coloring material through said nozzles at intervals duringthe knitting of a course, an element extending circumferentially of themachine, connections from said element to said means to operate saidelement on stoppage of the machine for moving the nozzles away from thecloth, and means for automatically returning said elementonire-starting'tlfie ma chine thereby returning said devices to,operative position adjacent the fabric.

18. In a circular knitting machine, a stationary needle bed, a rotaryneedle cam carrier, a series of devices for applying color to the fabricrotating with said carrier, a ring rotating With said carrier, a brakeauto,-

maticallyapplied to said ring on stoppage of the machine, andconnections from said color-applying devices,.

ring for inhibiting further operation of the color-applying devices whenthe brake is applied to the ring.

19. In a circular knitting machine, a stationary needle bed, a rotaryneedle cam carrier, a series of devices for applying color to the fabricrotating with said carrier, each having a nozzle close to the cloth, aring rotating with said carrier, a brake automatically applied to saidring on stoppage of the machine, and connections from the ring formoving said nozzles away from the fabric on stoppage of the machine. 7

20. In a circular knitting machine, a stationary needle bed, a rotaryneedle cam carrier, a series of devices for applying color to the fabricrotating with said carrier, a ring rotating with said carrier, a brakeautomatically applied to said ring on stoppage of the machine,connections from said ring for inhibiting further operation of thecolorapplying devices when the brake is applied to the ring, and meansfor automatically restoring said devices to operation on again startingthe machine.

21. In a circular knitting machine, a stationary needle bed, a rotaryneedle cam carrier, a series of devices for applying color to the fabricrotating with said carrier, a ring rotating with said carrier, a brakeautomatically applied to said ring on stoppage of the machine,connections from said ring for inhibiting further operation of thecolorapplying devices when the brake is applied to the ring, and meansserving to return said ring to normal position on re-starting themachine.

22. A color-applying device for knitting machines comprising a nozzle,having an opening adjacent the fabric, a passage leading to said nozzle,a valve in the passage, a gear, and connections from said gear to saidvalve for operating the same.

23. A color-applying device for knitting machines comprising a nozzle,having an opening adjacent the fabric, a passage leading to said nozzle,a valve in the passage, a gear, connections from said gear to said valvefor opening the passage, and means for closing the valve automaticallyafter being operated by said gear.

24. In a knitting machine stopping means, a color-applying devicemounted thereon, and means for causing said device to apply coloringmatter to the knitted cloth after the knitting point during theoperation of the knitting machine, and means actuated by the stoppingmeans for removing the color applying portion of said device from thefabric when the machine stops.

25. In a knitting machine stopping means, a color-applying devicemounted thereon, and means for causing said device to apply coloringmatter to the knitted cloth after the knitting point during theoperation of the knitting machine, and means actuated by the stoppingmeans for preventing further application of coloring matter by saidcolor-applying device when the operation of the knitting machine ceases.

26. A color applying device for knitting machines comprising a nozzlehaving an opening adjacent the fabric, a passage leading to said nozzle,a valve in the passage, a gear, and means on said gear for periodicallyoperating said valve.

27. A color applying device for knitting machines, comprising a nozzlehaving an opening adjacent the fabric, a passage leading to said nozzle,a valve in the passage, a gear, and removable means on said gear foractuating the valve, said gear being provided with means for receivingsaid removable means in different positions on the gear whereby thedesign or pattern being applied to the fabric may be varied.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

ROBERT G. JENNINGS.

